Cork and Kerry are the only inter-county teams taking part in the tournament, as the other four counties in the province refused to participate in protest at the decision to seed the Munster Football Championship.

Fitzmaurice said: "Cork have good momentum going.

"UL, who were very impressive last weekend against UCC, they beat them well. Cork are under new management and they are going to get a big bounce off that early in the year.

"It will be a big step up but it is good from our point of view to have a game like it.

"We won't be seeing any of the lads likes of Darran O'Sullivan, Killian Young or Kieran Donaghy. We won't be seeing any of them in the next couple of weeks.

"They are doing rehab from their injuries and it is a wait and see game with them. They won't be ready for the early stages of the league anyway."